by Juli Clover
MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera got his iPhone Duo a day early, so he spent today answering some of the questions people are asking about the new device.
On app optimization, some apps scale to fill the Duo's screen, and others have been updated for the actual Duo form factor with unique features for the different positions. Netflix has a special mode for a half-fold, for example.
There are apps that haven't been updated at all, and those have thick black bars on the sides. The apps are usable, but it's not a good experience. We'll see a ton of app updates coming out starting tomorrow, so hopefully unoptimized apps become less of a problem. Multitasking with two apps side by side is useful, and it's nice to be able to do things like watch a video while scrolling a website.
The iPhone Duo's camera is on par with an iPhone 17 camera. It's not as good as the iPhone 18 Pro camera with a variable aperture, but it's not terrible. There is no telephoto lens, and camera quality is one of the big iPhone Duo compromises. The under-display Face ID camera is okay for casual FaceTime videos, but the quality is comparatively poor for anything else.
The other feature people are going to miss is Face ID. Touch ID is not as quick as Face ID, especially because Apple built a deliberate pause into it. You need to touch and hold to unlock. The Apple Watch can be used to unlock the iPhone Duo, and that's an experience that's closer to Face ID.
The inner display feels durable, and it's similar to an iPad with a nano-texture display. It does pick up fingerprints, but it doesn't feel like it's going to break or scratch easily.
The iPhone Duo is heavier than other iPhones, and it can feel bulky. Depending on hand size, you may be able to use it one-handed, though it's harder to use left-handed because the the Touch ID button and on-screen navigation bars are on the right.
At a $1,999 starting price, the Duo is expensive, and it has compromises that will deter some people. Once major apps get updated, the experience will change, and we'll have a better idea of whether it's worth getting.
We'll have a full iPhone Duo review coming soon, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.
Popular Stories
Apple Retail Staff Told to Warn Against iPhone Duo Walk-In Purchases
Some Apple retail employees have been told to warn customers against visiting to purchase an iPhone Duo without a pre-order on Friday, October 23. Apple Store employees told MacRumors that they have been advised that there will likely be no iPhone Duo stock available for walk-in purchases on launch day. Staff have been instructed to discourage customers without pre-orders from coming in...
Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo
Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by Juli Clover
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
Mark Gurman: Apple Made 'Major Mistake' With iPhone Duo Pre-Orders
Despite knowing that the iPhone Duo would face "severe supply constraints" due to manufacturing challenges, Apple chose to begin iPhone Duo pre-orders on Friday instead of waiting until it had more inventory ready, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he called this decision a "major mistake." "Let me cut to the chase: Apple made a major mistake here," he...